Movie Review: Touchy Feely

If you were to watch "Touchy Feely" for any one reason, it should be for Josh Pais' performance as Paul, a dentist who's basically dead inside, or "wan," as his sister Abby (Rosemarie DeWitt) keeps describing him.

"Touchy Feely" is the latest film from Lynn Shelton, who is a secret weapon in the independent film world. Her loose and mainly unscripted films are refreshing in a world dominated by formula and safety. With "Touchy Feely," Shelton feels like she is trying to move towards something more structured all while holding on to the characteristics that have defined her work as a filmmaker. Yet, there is a difficulty in balancing the two, and it is not achieved here.

Movie Review: Your Sister's Sister

"Your Sister's Sister" opens with an unusual eulogy. Jack's (Mark Duplass) brother Tom died one year earlier, and friends and family gather to honor him. But Jack isn't satisfied with all of the kind words, as Tom was a jerk who acted kind to get ahead. And for that, Jack respects him. This is mainly what "Your Sister's Sister" is: a lot of people talking about what they think is wrong about conventional wisdom. And if you can tell from this first scene that you won't like this, then you can get out.

In "Your Sister's Sister," the characters talk. And they talk. And then they talk some more. It is the very definition of Mumblecore. However, Mumblecore is a terrible name. The characters aren't mumbling and bumbling about nothing, they are actually having deeply thought out, entirely realistic conversations.